This invention generally relates to an automatic performance device such as a sequencer, an automatic accompaniment performing device or an automatic rhythm performing device, and more particularly it relates to such an automatic performance device which has the capability of readily changing, even during an automatic performance, various kinds of setting data of, for example, tone color, tone volume, tempo, effects and the like to be implemented in the automatic performance.
An automatic performance device of the sequencer type which stores performance information received from the keyboard of an electronic musical instrument or a computer and then reproduces performance tones on the basis of the stored performance information is typically disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. Sho 58-211191 or Sho 63-193192. In such sequencer-type automatic performance device, a set of initial setting control data for designating various characteristics of automatic performance tones such as a tone color, tone volume, tempo, effects etc. to be implemented during an automatic performance is contained or stored in the leading portion (namely, header portion) of the performance information, with various substantive performance data being sequentially stored after such initial setting control data. Therefore, in carrying out an automatic performance, the performance device first reads out the initial setting control data (hereinafter referred to as header control data) stored in the header portion, then actually sets up a tone color, tone volume, tempo, effect etc. to be implemented in the performance in conformity with the header control data, and subsequently reads out the substantive performance data so as to reproduce performance tones based thereon in accordance with the actually set-up tone color, tone volume, tempo, effects etc.
Because the header portion has such header control data representative of a tone color, tone volume, tempo, effect etc. stored therein, a tone color, tone volume, tempo, effect etc. to be actually implemented in an automatic performance can freely be changed to desired ones by rewriting the header control data or by changing the actually set-up control data entered in the automatic performance device. In order to carry out rewriting of the header control data stored in the header portion for this purpose, the automatic performance device is switched in its operation mode from the reproduction mode to the edit mode or the record-wait mode. Also, the set-up control data entered in the automatic performance device can freely be changed as desired even during a performance by operating panel switches etc.
However, the prior art automatic performance device is unsatisfactory in that the rewriting of the header control data stored in the header portion can not be done unless the on-going automatic performance is stopped to place the device into the edit mode or record-wait mode. Accordingly, even after the rewriting of the header control data has been completed, automatic performance processing must be carried out again in order to ascertain how performed tones will vary in accordance with the rewritten header control data. In other words, in order to obtain desired tones, it is necessary to alternately repeat the rewriting and reproduction operations of the header control data many times.
Further, in the prior art automatic performance device, setting of the various characteristics can freely be changed by changing the set-up data during a performance, and therefore it is possible to immediately ascertain how performed tones vary in accordance with the changed set-up data. Nonetheless, the changed set-up data are automatically erased in response to the termination of the automatic performance so that the previous set-up data are restored as they were before the change. Namely, the header control data record is left unchanged. Therefore, in order to rewrite the header control data of the header portion, it is necessary for the performer to personally make a note of values of the changed set-up data during a performance and then to rewrite the header control data while the device is in the edit mode or in the record-wait mode after the termination of the performance.